Jump to content

Downloadable content: Difference between revisions

From Consumer_Action_Taskforce
← Older editNewer edit →
VisualWikitext
Expanded the article
I tried to remake the quality of the article I had, but it is missing a lot of my previous research!
Line 12: Line 12:
*In-game currency
*In-game currency
*Entire gamemodes
*Entire gamemodes
*Closed Beta acess
*Closed Beta access
These pieces of pre-order pieces of content rarely will see a re-release, only in some scenarios where special edition re-releases will allow consumers who miss out on pre-ordering to have access to this content. These bonuses are reliant on a phenomenon known as [[FOMO]].


==='''Day one DLC'''===
==='''Day-one DLC''' <!-- Source to reference: https://forum.level1techs.com/t/problems-with-the-gaming-industry-day-one-dlc-and-pre-order-dlc/365 -->===
Similar to pre-order bonuses yet not including even when purchasing the game. This content is most often cut out of the base game and in some examples still on the game disc but still locked behind a paywall.  
Often seen mostly from larger companies, day-one DLC if offered as a way to further monetize a product on launch. This has however caused concern from consumers since these games that are hasty to offer DLC on launch appear to essentially break up the base game content, thus harming consumers. These games can also have the DLC content already available on-disc, and it has historically caused outrage from consumers.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20151108174303/http://www.1up.com/news/bioshock-2-dlc-disc</ref>


=== DLC overload ===
===DLC overload===
Rather than develop new games, some companies have been seen to instead develop new content for their games, however, most of this content is cut up into multiple purchases. This has historically been seen with EA's The Sims 4, wherein a consumer has to pay over $1,000 just to have a complete game. A pattern connected to this overload also shows that games that overload themselves with DLC, often will be intentionally developed to be lackluster in order to encourage consumers to purchase more of this DLC. Nintendo's Super Smash Brothers Ultimate has brought forth a lot of controversy from consumers as characters that are a lot stronger than the default roster are paywalled behind DLC.  
A more recent trend among major publishers has been live-service games. What this has brought however, is the need for monetization to keep development persistent. Unfortunately, these same companies have also been excessive with offering large amounts of DLC. For example, [[Electronic Arts]]' [[The Sims 4]] has currently over $1000 in DLC,<ref>https://store.steampowered.com/app/1222670/The_Sims_4/</ref> ranging from what could be considered as micro-DLC with kits and stuff packs, to larger DLC such as expansion packs.<ref>https://fictionhorizon.com/heres-why-the-sims-4-dlcs-are-so-expensive-how-to-get-them-cheaper/</ref> Consumers have even been mentioning how lackluster these games are without purchasing DLC,<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/thesims/comments/f009sl/ts4_feels_empty/</ref><ref name=":0">https://www.superjumpmagazine.com/why-does-playing-the-sims-4-make-me-feel-empty-inside/</ref> with theories surrounding that it may be intentional.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/thesims/comments/161t8eq/is_it_just_me_or_does_ts4_feel_empty/</ref> These theories are more solidified when comparing how DLC is handled between each game in the series.<ref name=":0" />
 
==== Micro-DLC ====
Micro-DLC functions as the middle child between standard DLC and [[microtransactions]]. This is directly defined by the content it offers, where you are buying a significant amount of items, like a stuff pack, or a small thing that has a noticeable impact on the gameplay, such as a new character. Often micro-DLC is offered among a large pool of other pieces of small dlc. In [[Microsoft Flight Simulator X]], there's over $4k in dlc for planes or airstrips.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/90e436/are_there_any_games_on_steam_with_more_expensive/</ref> This is only surpassed by Train Simulator's $8k+ in DLC.<ref>https://store.steampowered.com/app/24010/Train_Simulator_Classic_2024/</ref>
 
An honorable mention for an excessive amount of micro-DLC is Rocksmith, where the original has had nearly $1k in individually purchasable songs.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/rocksmith/comments/2k39t7/total_dlc_price_question/
 
"Edit: u/OsagaTheGreat points out that the Rock Hits packs, which I believed were subject to 3-pack pricing, are in fact mere labels for single tracks that were released contemporaneously. The names are at times confusingly inconsistent, culminating in "Rock Hits 70's 2" being distinct from "Rock Hits 1970s 2". I count 19 Rock Hits pseudopacks (including "Indie Rock Hits", which doesn't sort next to the others), each containing 3 songs. Each 3-pack in the original calculation contributed a price reduction of $0.98 compared to purchasing single tracks, so debundling all of them increases the total by $18.62 to $973.39. However, in contrast to my original strategy, you ''would'' now purchase the Allman, Öyster, and Pearl song packs to save $2.94. The revised total is '''$970.45'''."
 
-  u/PierreSimonLaplace</ref>


===Season Passes===
===Season Passes===
[stub section!] This section is a stub and the person who included this section appears to have left it blank
=== DLC bias ===
Often, the DLC featured in games can leave bias from either the developer or publisher, and thus imbalance the game to encourage consumers to purchase this DLC. This imbalance problem is mostly seen in competitive games, such as Mortal Kombat or Super Smash Brothers. Super Smash Brothers in particular has brought the largest amount of concern from consumers,<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/SmashBrosUltimate/comments/11e977q/dlc_characters_are_overpowered_and_brainless/</ref> as DLC fighters end up being cited as more powerful for casual players.<ref>https://www.thegamer.com/smash-bros-ultimate-hero-dlc-down-special-op/</ref><ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/SmashBrosUltimate/comments/jdf910/steve_is_op/</ref>


==Historical examples==
==Historical examples==
Products to mention later on: The Sims 4, super smash Brothers ultimate, Minecraft bedrock edition, certain Ubisoft or EA games, Fortnite, Halo infinite, assassin's Creed
Products to potentially mention later on: The Sims 4, super smash Brothers ultimate, Minecraft bedrock edition, certain Ubisoft or EA games, Fortnite, Halo infinite, assassin's Creed, Destiny
 
== References ==
<references />

Revision as of 06:14, 10 February 2025

Downloadable Content (DLC) is a method for developers and/or publishers to extend the monetization of their products for a longer period. This practice is not inherently anticonsumer, such as Factorio's Space Age DLC being regarded as paying for a new game according to fans, however, companies such as Electronic Arts and Ubisoft have been known to abuse DLC to break up their complete products into multiple purchases with no regard to the consumer.

Dark patterns involving DLC

Pre-order bonuses

A very popular method used by companies to incite the customer to purchase their game is to offer them additional content for pre-ordering.

This can range from:

These pieces of pre-order pieces of content rarely will see a re-release, only in some scenarios where special edition re-releases will allow consumers who miss out on pre-ordering to have access to this content. These bonuses are reliant on a phenomenon known as FOMO.

Day-one DLC

Often seen mostly from larger companies, day-one DLC if offered as a way to further monetize a product on launch. This has however caused concern from consumers since these games that are hasty to offer DLC on launch appear to essentially break up the base game content, thus harming consumers. These games can also have the DLC content already available on-disc, and it has historically caused outrage from consumers.[1]

DLC overload

A more recent trend among major publishers has been live-service games. What this has brought however, is the need for monetization to keep development persistent. Unfortunately, these same companies have also been excessive with offering large amounts of DLC. For example, Electronic Arts' The Sims 4 has currently over $1000 in DLC,[2] ranging from what could be considered as micro-DLC with kits and stuff packs, to larger DLC such as expansion packs.[3] Consumers have even been mentioning how lackluster these games are without purchasing DLC,[4][5] with theories surrounding that it may be intentional.[6] These theories are more solidified when comparing how DLC is handled between each game in the series.[5]

Micro-DLC

Micro-DLC functions as the middle child between standard DLC and microtransactions. This is directly defined by the content it offers, where you are buying a significant amount of items, like a stuff pack, or a small thing that has a noticeable impact on the gameplay, such as a new character. Often micro-DLC is offered among a large pool of other pieces of small dlc. In Microsoft Flight Simulator X, there's over $4k in dlc for planes or airstrips.[7] This is only surpassed by Train Simulator's $8k+ in DLC.[8]

An honorable mention for an excessive amount of micro-DLC is Rocksmith, where the original has had nearly $1k in individually purchasable songs.[9]

Season Passes

[stub section!] This section is a stub and the person who included this section appears to have left it blank

DLC bias

Often, the DLC featured in games can leave bias from either the developer or publisher, and thus imbalance the game to encourage consumers to purchase this DLC. This imbalance problem is mostly seen in competitive games, such as Mortal Kombat or Super Smash Brothers. Super Smash Brothers in particular has brought the largest amount of concern from consumers,[10] as DLC fighters end up being cited as more powerful for casual players.[11][12]

Historical examples

Products to potentially mention later on: The Sims 4, super smash Brothers ultimate, Minecraft bedrock edition, certain Ubisoft or EA games, Fortnite, Halo infinite, assassin's Creed, Destiny

References

  1. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20151108174303/http://www.1up.com/news/bioshock-2-dlc-disc
  2. ↑ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1222670/The_Sims_4/
  3. ↑ https://fictionhorizon.com/heres-why-the-sims-4-dlcs-are-so-expensive-how-to-get-them-cheaper/
  4. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/thesims/comments/f009sl/ts4_feels_empty/
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://www.superjumpmagazine.com/why-does-playing-the-sims-4-make-me-feel-empty-inside/
  6. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/thesims/comments/161t8eq/is_it_just_me_or_does_ts4_feel_empty/
  7. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/90e436/are_there_any_games_on_steam_with_more_expensive/
  8. ↑ https://store.steampowered.com/app/24010/Train_Simulator_Classic_2024/
  9. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/rocksmith/comments/2k39t7/total_dlc_price_question/ "Edit: u/OsagaTheGreat points out that the Rock Hits packs, which I believed were subject to 3-pack pricing, are in fact mere labels for single tracks that were released contemporaneously. The names are at times confusingly inconsistent, culminating in "Rock Hits 70's 2" being distinct from "Rock Hits 1970s 2". I count 19 Rock Hits pseudopacks (including "Indie Rock Hits", which doesn't sort next to the others), each containing 3 songs. Each 3-pack in the original calculation contributed a price reduction of $0.98 compared to purchasing single tracks, so debundling all of them increases the total by $18.62 to $973.39. However, in contrast to my original strategy, you would now purchase the Allman, Öyster, and Pearl song packs to save $2.94. The revised total is $970.45." - u/PierreSimonLaplace
  10. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/SmashBrosUltimate/comments/11e977q/dlc_characters_are_overpowered_and_brainless/
  11. ↑ https://www.thegamer.com/smash-bros-ultimate-hero-dlc-down-special-op/
  12. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/SmashBrosUltimate/comments/jdf910/steve_is_op/
Retrieved from "https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Downloadable_content&oldid=8722"